This image of the Virgin is regal and imposing: she wears a crown and sits on a throne. She also functions as a throne for her son; this is a visual expression of a theological concept—the Virgin as the seat of wisdom, the support for Christ himself. Devotion to the Virgin was an important aspect of Christianity in the European middle ages; this is the reason why we see her in so many works of art. This statue's majesty comes in part from its boldly stylized quality. Look at the relationship between the body and the garments, and the linear patterns that describe the cloth; there's a rhythmic arrangement of curves in the lower legs, and in the mantle on the Virgin's shoulders. Her face, with its large features and inlaid eyes, is powerful indeed, and her hands look strong too as they hold the Child. This statue is carved of wood, but sculptors in stone used a similar style, particularly in Burgundy around 1130.